Board Rules Gloucester School Can Keep Its Charter

A controversial charter school in Gloucester is keeping its charter after all.

On Tuesday the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education voted to allow Gloucester Community Arts Charter School to keep its standing.

The school was placed on probation in October because the board had concerns about its governance, its delayed opening and because it may have violated state procurement laws.

But Education Commission Mitchell Chester recommended the school keep its charter because it has made progress.

"The school is now in a permanent facility," Chester said. "The building appears to be well-designed, strong sense of community, arrival and dismissal of students is orderly, appear to be engaged in productive learning, evidence of arts integration."

The school must still meet several conditions including hiring a new director of education and submitting a financial plan that shows it's viable next year.